Electrically-operated railway-gate



(No Model.)

J.-s. BIGGAR. ELECTRICALLY OPERATED RAILWAY GATE. "110.591.911.

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NITED STATES ATEN'r Erica,

JOHN STUARTBIGGAR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRlCALL Y-OPERATED RAILWAY-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,911, dated October19, 1897.

Application filed July 29, 1895. Serial No. 557,537 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN' STUART BIGGAR, a citizen of the United 7States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inElectrically Operated Railway Gates or Signals, (Case No. 1,) of whichthe following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to an electrically-operated railway gate or signal,its object being to provide means whereby a railway gate, semaphore, orother signal may be operated through the agency of electricity. It hasusually been the practice heretofore to operate the gates andrailway-signals by means of compressed air, requiring considerablepiping and mechanical construction for operating the signals from adistance. It has also been proposed to operate such signals electricallyby providing a solenoid adapted to be energized by the passage of thetrain to attract its core, which is secured to the gate-arm or othersignal in such a manner as to produce a rotation thereof. .In suchconstruction, wherein a solenoid has been employed as the motive device,satisfactory results have not been attained, as a solenoid is veryinefficient and unsatisfactory in operation.

In accordance with my invention I provide a dynamo-electric machine ormotor to the armature or rotatable element of which the gate-arm'isconnected, whereby the rotation of the armature produces the rotation ofthe gate-arm, means controlled by the rotation of the armature beingprovided for opening the circuit through the motor and thus bringing thearmature to rest in a predetermined p0- siti on. I also provide alocking device which maintains the armature in its alternative positionand provide an electromagnetic device for releasing the look when it isdesired to return the armature to its former position.

I will describe my invention more in particular by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aview in elevation showingmy invention as applied to a railway-gate. Fig.

2 is a similar View showing a modified form of the invention. Fig. 3 is"a view showing a further modification.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

Upon the standard a and inclosed within the casing a is provided adynamo-electric machine or motor I), brushes 1) 12 being adapted to restupon the -commutator b whereby current from a source of electricity issupplied to the motor. The arm 0 of the railway-gate is preferablysecured directly to the armature-shaft b of the armature 6 whereby thearm partakes of the same rotation as the armature. Mounted upon theshaft 79 of the armature b is an arm cl, carrying upon its end a fingeror blade (1, which is adapted, when the armature has rotated through apredetermined distance, to pass between the contact-springs d d toseparate the same and thus open the circuit through the motor. lVhen atrain approaches the crossing, the circuit through the motor Z) isclosed either by hand or by a switch operated by the passage of thetrain, and the armature b is thus caused to rotate to move-the gate-arma into a horizontal position, as indicated in dotted lines. By the timethe arm 0 has reached the horizontal position the finger d has engagedand separated the springs d d thus opening the circuit through the motorand bringing the armature to rest. The weight 0', carried upon the endof the arm 0, is sufficient, when unchecked, to move the arm intoits'raised position, and it is therefore necessary to provide some meansfor maintaining the arm 0 in its horizontal position after the currentthrough the motor has been out of. For this purpose a lever e isprovided, pivoted at e and carrying upon its end a hook e adapted toengage an offset on the arm (1, whereby the arm 01, and consequently thearmature of the motor and the arm a are prevented from v gage the hook efrom the arm d and the weight acts to move the arm a into its raisedposition.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modification of my invention in which the motorserves to move the electromagnet g is normally energized to attract itsarmature g and maintain the hook e in engagement with the arm cl. WVhenit is desired to move the gate-arm into its horizontal position, theelectromagnet g is deenergized by opening the circuit by hand or by thepassage of the train, the spring h acting to disengage the hook e fromthe arm (1 and permit the gate-arm to descend by its own weight, thusrotating the arm 01 into'the position illustrated in dotted lines. Whenthe train has passed and it is desired to raise the gate-arm, circuit isclosed through the motor by hand or by the passage of the train and thearmature of the motor is rotated until the strip of insulation 7.;provided on the commutator moves to a position beneath the brush b when,the circuit through the motor being opened, the armature comes to rest.The electromagnet g has been previously energized either by hand or bythe passage of the train and maintains the hook e in position to lockthe arm d in position and consequently maintain the gate-arm o elevated.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated my invention in connection with a motorprovided with an armature without coils, the armature comprising merelya bar Z of magnetic material mounted to rotate between the pole-pieces ZZ excited by field-coils Z Z The armature I normally occupies theposition illustrated in dotted lines, the gate-arm being elevated.

When the coils Z Z are energized, the a'rmature Z is moved into theposition indicated in full lines, thus bringing the gate-arm'to thehorizontal position.

I am aware that heretofore the oscillating arm of a signal device hasbeen operated by means of an electric motor through the agency ofinterposed mechanism, but it has not heretofore been proposed to mountthe arm directly upon the shaft of the motor-armature, whereby the armis operated by the rocking or oscillating movement of themotor-armature.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters- Patent, is

1. In a railway-gate, the combination with a pivoted gate-arm, providedwith a bearingshaft, of an electric motor connected directly with theshaft and adapted to rotate or rock the same to operate the gate, andelectricallycontrolled means independent of the motor for holding thegate in a lowered position. j

2. In a railway-gate, the combination with an electric motor, of thegate-arm mounted directly upon the shaft of the armature of said motor,means for bringing the armature to rest after a fraction of a completerevolution, a locking device for maintaining the.

armature in said rotated position, and an electromagnetic device forreleasing said looking device; substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of July,A. D. 1895.

JOHN STUART BIGGAR. lVitnesses:

GEORGE P. BARTON, W. CLYDE J ONES.

